Burglar-proof express-car.



PATENEED MAB.. 17, 1903.1

G. ELEISGEHAUER. BURGLAR PROOF EXPRESS GAR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1902L N0 MODEL.

l [lll/1111111111111 lll/lll /1 /l/l l l f UNITED STATES' PATENT EEICE.

CHARLES FLEISCHHAUER, OF STRANG, NEBRASKA.

BU RGLAR-PROF ExPREs s'i-CAR.

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 722,830, dated March 1'7, 1903. Application nea June 2o, 1902. serial No. 112.500. (No modem T0 tu whom, it may conv-ern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES FLEISCH- HAUER, residing at Strang, in the county of Fillmore and State of Nebraska, have invented certain useful Improvements in Burglar-Proof Express-Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use. the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new and novel improvement in burglar-proof express-cars.

The object of my invention is to provide a compartment within au express-car which shall oier protection to the attendant in charge of the express-safe.

In theaccompanyingdrawingsIhave shown in Figure 1 a plan View of an express-car provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 shows the conning-tower as elevated, while Fig. 3 shows a detail of the conning-tower.

In express-cars as usually constructed there is no provision made for the safety of the eX- press messenger, and it is a common thing for highwaymen to dynamite a portion of the car to wreck the same, when the express messenger may be easily covered with firearms in the hands of the highwaymen, so that the express messenger is practically at their mercy. In my invention I aim to provide a means whereby the messenger may be partially protected and further be provided with means of escape and retaliation. s

In the accompanying drawings, A represents an ordinary express-car which is provided with my protective appliance. This comprises, first, a transverse wall B, which is provided at a suitable point with the dooropening a, the ends of this wall B being iared forward, as is shown at b h, and made to end immediately in front of one of the sliding doors 1 and 3, as-is shown. These sliding doors l, 2, 3, and 4 are common to all expresscars. Each flared wall portion b is provided with a suitable door 5 5, secured by hinges 6. These doors are made to open outward. Positioned adjacent the central door-opening ct, within the transverse wall B, are the sliding doors 7 7. Extending at right angles and longitudinally within the car are the stub wall of a bolt or other suitable catch.

members A8 8, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1, which are-provided with the peep-openings These wall'V portions 8 8 form a narrow passage and from which extends laterally in opposite directions the wall member or portions l0 l0, which terminate near the side of the car and then continue in the wall members 12, again running lengthwise with the car.

One of these wall members 12 is provided with the door 13, opening outward, supported by meansof a hinge 14 and provided With a bolt 15,as shown. Continuing from these counterpart parallel-extending wall members Y12 12 are the end wall members 16 16, which by means of the portions 17 17 and 18 form an approximately rectangular inclosure, which may be entered through the doors 7 7. The central wall member 18 is also provided with a slot a: in the shape of a peep-opening sufficient so that a pistol-barrel may be projected through the same.v Skirting this inner Wall is an outer wall, composed of the transversed wall B, the wall portions b, the two side portions C, and the end portion D, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. All these wall portions are preferably made of thin sheet metal. It will be noticed that by means of these walls a com plete inner passage P isprovided around the inner structure. This passage-Way P may be entered through the door 13 within one of the side doors 12 or through either one of the doors 5, which are provided with any suitable locking mechanism, as shown at 2O in the form It will further be noticed that an enlargement is formed centrally within the car between the lower wall D and the intermediate wall portion 18,

.and within this enlargement is held a conning-tower F. (Shown in .detail in Fig. 3.) This conning-tower (referring now to Fig. 3) is provided upon opposite sides with the openings f, so that a person Within the car may readily pass about the inner passage P. At a suitable point within this conning-tower F is provided a platform 2l, upon which an operator may stand to bring himself in alinement with the peep-holes Within thisl conning-tower, as is disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3. This tower is made of light sheet-steel and is of a height so that the top of this tower H is in alinement with the deck of the car. This top II by means of the hinge 23 is tilt- ICO ably secured to the tower and is secured by means of a suitable bolt 24. This tower is of a weight so that it may be readily raised by one man. In order to do this, at a suitable point the cunning-tower is provided with the ear 25, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,) to which is secured a strand or cable 26, passing over a suitable pulley 27. When raised to its highest position, the conning-tower is secured by means of a bolt 28, passing under the same. Suitable rails 30 30 are secured to the car to guide this conning-tower in being raised and lowered. Now should a car pro vided with my attachment be held up the operator or express messenger would be within a double sheet-steel inclosure and have an opportunity to cover the doors 1 and 2 in shooting through the peep-opening within the same, or if 4the attack were from the opposite side he would run around the passage P and cover the doors and 4 in shooting through the door 5 upon the opposite side. As there are usually two messengers in a car, one could be stationed within each end of the passage P. Should it be desirable for the messengers to escape from the passage P, they might do so throughthe doors 5 5. If the robbers had gained an entrance into the car, the messenger upon being ordered could throw open the doors '7 7 and after the robbers had entered could lock the same by means of the bolts 32, which would be placed within the sliding doors, so that the robbers that had entered the inclosure would be caged within the same and could then be covered by the operator in firing through the slots a: within the wall members 12 12 or through the slot within the intermediate Wall 18. The robbers in passing through the narrow openings could possibly be shot through the wall-sections 8 8. Should it be desired to make an attempt to cover the highwaymen outside of the car, the operator Would raise the conning-tower F and with his repeater attempt to shoot the highwaymen upon the side. He would, of course, be practically protected in doing this Within the said steel conning-tower. Should it further be desirable,

masso the messenger could without raising the conning-tower and without attracting any attention throw back the same, and thus get upon the deck of the car or upon any other part of the train through which in the darkness he might drive off the highwaymen. The messenger would most likely be within the inner inclosure I, from which at the first notice of alarm he would escape throughthe door 13 into the passage P. These express-cars are usually provided with the platform 40, having the steps 41 and the railings 42, as shown.

The invention is exceedingly simple and inexpensive and provides a means at a small cost which will very greatly increase the safety of transporting articles in express-cars.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in an express-car, of a transverse Wall, provided with central doors and doors at each end, with an inner inclosure providing a passage-Way entirely around the same, and the conning-tower withinsaid passage-way adapted to be raised and lowered.

2. In an express-car the combination with a transverse wall, of an interior four-sided wall, door-openings within said interior wall -and said transverse Wall, said interior wall forming interior passage, a door within said interior wall and a conning-tower extending from said passage th rough the deck of the car.

3. In an express-car a transverse wall provided with a central and two end doors, an interior four-sided wall terminating adjacent said central door to form an interior passage, a door within said interior Wall, peep-openings within said interior and said transverse walls, a conning-tower held within said interior passage, means to raise said conningtower and a removable top secured to said conning-tower.

Signed in the presence of two witnesses. GHAS. FLEISGHHAUER. Witnesses:

J. E. MILLER, D. W. SIMMs. 

